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| Image courtesy of Cameron Jones Instagram |
With a stern message from Scott that this bike is "only a prototype with no plans for production", the images of a Scott gravel bike with 32" tires has set the internet buzzing since images hit on Tuesday morning earlier this week.
While Scott can say whatever they want, it would be foolish of them to put out this bike without some sort of plan to at least garner interest in the platform. It may not be this exact bike, but I am going to say Scott has something in the works for 2027.
However this may turn out, we do know the bike is outfitted with Schwalbe G-One rubber. According to a comment made by Cameron Jones on his Instagram post of this bike, those tires are 32" x 50mm. This would lead me to believe earlier rumors of 32" gravel bikes in the pipeline.
And look at those deep section carbon wheels. You must know that something like this is not a one-off. I'd look for aero 32"er rims to be a thing very soon.
Tomorrow will be interesting in Kansas. I would not at all be surprised to see some other 32"ers break cover there also.
In other 32"er news "Bike Rumor" posted a story about a prototype 32"er DT Swss front suspension fork being spotted at a recent World Cup MTB event along with 32"er DT Swiss wheels.
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| Image courtesy of Specialized Bicycles |
Specialized Introduces "The Fastest Gravel Race Bike"
Claiming the new 5th version of the Specialized Crux is the fastest gravel race bike in existence is a heady claim. But that is what Specialized is saying about this new Crux.
The version 5 of the Crux leaves the classically shaped round tubes for a predictably more aero tube design, but Specialized did not go all-in on aero. They used data gathered from athletes riding in events like Unbound and inserted the data into their design plans. What came out was a theory that real-world racing conditions - Slower and more technically demanding - trumped aerodynamics to a degree, requiring a different design than what an all-out aero driven design may have demanded.
Specialized dropped the bottom bracket some and tweaked the head tube angle a bit due to the new trend of running huge tires on gravel bikes. This results in a maximum tire clearance for the Crux 5 of 55mm in width. Designers did not want to utilize dropped chain stays or longer chain stays so this design is 1X compatible only.
Of course, it is expensive. But you would have guessed this anyway. Check out the range on Specialized's site HERE.
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| Image courtesy of Pardus |
Chinese Brand Commits To European Sales Model:
China's top high-performance cycling brand, Pardus, have announced a commitment to enter the European cycling market with sales support in Europe and by selling through brick and mortar bike shops only. This news came via a press release sent out earlier this week.
Comments: You may not see much of importance here. However; this bears watching and I think it could be an interesting development for US based cycling companies.
Watch the You Tube videos of the Shanghai Bicycle Show from this year and you most likely will see Pardus bikes on their stand. Often cited as the most popular Chinese high-performance brand, their integrated manufacturing model, where all facets of frame and fork production are done in-house, could pose to be a formidable force in the European market due to Pardus advantage on price.
This could push sales away from European Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, and Giant dealers. These brands all are already scrapping and fighting to get every sale they can in an atmosphere where the oxygen is scarce.
Having a new, heavy-hitter come into the market in Europe could upset things even on these shores. Much more so if a Pardus type brand landed product directly here for sale. I'm keeping an eye on this.
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| Image courtesy of Twin Six |
I was informed by a "reliable source" that pre-orders for the Twin Six 32"er will go live "...in a few weeks.".
Spec details will be released at the same time the pre-orders go live. As of now, there isn't much to go on concerning this new 32"er offering.
I do know it was designed to be set up with flat or drop bars. I also know the person riding the prototype is super-stoked on the ride. Stating it is "pure fun".
I can only speculate based upon past history with Twin Six and say this bike should be a classy looking rig with a reasonable price tag. I wouldn't be shocked if it had an eccentric bottom bracket for single speed but I also wouldn't expect this in titanium from Twin Six, as they typically do not offer the eccentric in their titanium offerings.
I also know N.Y. Roll is excited about getting one of these. We will have to see what sort of size range Twin Six ends up offering, but my guess is the smallest size would be a Medium and then Large, XL, and perhaps an XXL would be the sizing range which is what we have seen other companies do. (Salsa Cycles notwithstanding)
Stay tuned for further updates on this bike.
The Unbound Section of the FN&V
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| Courtesy of @ministerofgravel Instagram |
Of course, I cannot go into this weekend without a nod to the twentieth anniversary of a gravel event which has changed so dramatically it is almost comical.
In 2006 you got nothing. Basically show up, sign in, "Here's your number and a course map", show up on time the next day and ride. I remember not knowing anything about Emporia, Kansas, the Flint Hills in general, or knowing anything about the event at all.
Now?
Well, everyone knows about Emporia, Kansas. Gravel cycling product has the name on it. The event is known world-wide in gravel cycling circles, at least. The Flint Hills? Lots of information on that area out there now. Roads you'd never had a need to hear of now are famous. Geographical points, like Texaco Hill, are known to thousands of riders.
And if you are one of the few yet clueless to what Unbound courses are like, there is a livestream of the event, or you can get all the information, images, and advice you'd ever want from lots of sites. Even a local known as "The Minister of Gravel" (Neil Taylor,an actual Christian minister), gives detailed course reviews of this years Unbound courses. It was this event preview I watched to learn about what the riders will be facing this year.
So even I know what to expect, and I'm not even going to the event! Ha! What a change from 20 years ago. The advancements in technology have demystified this once mystical experience and perhaps has turned it into a commodity. I know the 2026 riders will not have anywhere near the types of experiences we used to have, and maybe they like it that way.
I think that is a loss for anyone who feels that way, but hey - ride on! You'll get an experience, of some sort, and that is what matters most.
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| Pretty sure this road is part of the 200 this year. From DK My Way 2017 |
Is This A Wet Year 200?
Looking at the forecast for tomorrow in Kansas things look wet. Scattered showers should persist over most of Southern Kansas and perhaps up into the Flint Hills due to a weird jet stream pattern which has a lot of Pacific moisture streaming in from the Southwest.
It would be fitting if in fact it were raining this year since the course is utilizing the same three mile stretch of minimum maintenance roads used in the infamous "Wet Year" of 2015.
As stated above, you can find out all sorts of stuff you couldn't possibly have known was going on in Emporia ten years ago. One of those things are what bicycle set ups the big-time Pro riders are using.
I noted a bike run down from one of the top male contenders and it was interesting to hear this one particular racer say the focus is all on the aero. So much so that he had numbers for how a 50mm tire up front is better than the fad of running a XC MTB tire in a 29" X 2+ inch width is for aero. Interestingly this person also stated suspension gravel forks are notoriously not very good aerodynamically. His choice? An inverted Cane Creek design which his team developed fairings for to get it within a half a watt in aero compared to a rigid fork.
Maybe fat tires and suspension forks are really MTB things? It would seem so from this rider's standpoint.
If the rains hold off or are minimal this could be the fastest 200 ever because the course is using flatter roads, especially in the last sections, and not the really gnarly, mountain-bikish terrain which was used in recent years.
Tailwinds to all riding tomorrow out of Emporia!
That'll do it for this week. I'll have a commentary on the inductees to the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame tomorrow. Now, get out there and ride those bicycles!
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